Sub Rosa
by Morning Chrysanthemum
Summary: There are always some things that aren't what they seem to be, and individuals like Natori and Natsume are no exception, as Natori learns from a talk with a boy who isn't really a boy in addition to the actual boy. Natori/Natsume.


_This fic marks the first one I've posted that wasn't Hetalia. I've been wanting to write something for this pairing that has me hopelessly in love for the longest time and finally did it. And though the ending is open-ended, I've no plans to continue it. After this I'll have to focus on my AsaKiku. Many thanks to those patient readers for suffering through my pea-sized attention span._

* * *

"You're not Natsume, are you?"

The sentence was pronounced the same way a rhetorical question would be, but without any bitter sarcasm or desire to flaunt knowledge. There was a light joking quality to the words instead, as if the question was trivial to whatever joke the speaker had in mind.

Golden-brown, slightly dazed eyes slowly turned to focus in on him for a millisecond before their owner averted his gaze. "Took you long enough," was the huffy response.

"My, and I've only been here for a about ten seconds...and counting. But I'm glad to see you have high expectations of me, kitty."

The man who had just spoke took a seat on the bench next to his counterpart. As if in response to the sudden change in elevation, a a dark, moving form of a lizard worked its way up on the man's body inside so it rested on his face. All this was silent, blending in with the inaudible zephyr that blew its way across the land. The sun had risen earlier. It was almost time for most schools to begin. Hundreds of boys and girls would trudge their way to school whether they wanted to or not, and one boy in particular continued to dwell in his mind.

"What do you want, useless Natori?" The being in front of him was the spitting image of the boy in his thoughts. He was that boy, and yet he wasn't. His tone was annoyed, and he reached a hand not clutching a bottle of sake to rest his head upon. "As you were able to tell, Natsume isn't here, and good for him, because otherwise you and your sneaky exorcist ways would have gotten him into something he doesn't need to be involved with!" The last few words had warned for the approach of a growl.

Natori had held up a hand to signal peace (or more likely to to reassure the tense youkai behind him that he was not in any immediate danger) and then used the same hand to remove the rather shabby brown hat from his head. Even in the dim light, the glint from his fake glasses still shone. He smiled, and his aura sparkled just as brightly, giving him an easygoing, innocent, impression.

The boy recoiled slightly in distrust and disgust. But Natori wasn't discouraged. Admittedly, he would have been if the young form rejecting him was _not _a mere facade...

He chose not to dwell on that thought and the chain reaction it would later spark in his mind and spoke slowly, gaily.

"Would you believe me if I said this little meeting was pure coincidence?"

Silence. The narrowing of those eyes was enough of an answer.

"I thought as much. Well, that aside, I'm here because I received notice of a youkai nearby. My informant didn't tell me much about it, not even if it was dangerous or not. I'm really just wandering around to investigate. But now that I've told you..." Natori's voice suddenly lost its warmth, "I'd be interested in knowing the same about you, kitty."

Nyanko-sensei shrugged, a flush visible on his-Natsume's-face. "I went out drinking as usual and met up with the other youkai. We were also discussing a youkai nearby, but we didn't think it was a critical situation. Not with the sake still flowing. Anyway, but I heard strange sounds and took Natsume's form on instinct. Can't have another random person picking me up again. Or trying to pick Reiko up."

Natori got the feeling the cat's seriousness was just for him, though he was quietly amused at how the words were slurred, slightly ruining the solemn effect.

"You don't think humans would want to pick you up in that form?"

"Why would they? I'm sure I'm much cuter than Natsume."

Privately, Natori disagreed. He did find the pout on Natsume's face an interesting sight, though.

Nyanko-sensei plowed on. "And I can protect myself in any form," he boasted, former dignity slipping away and being replaced by alcohol-induced excitement.

"From youkai, you mean."

The boy frowned and looked at him strangely. "And? What's your point?"

Natori dropped the subject. Insinuating something like that would only make the cat distrust him even more.

Nyanko-sensei narrowed his eyes once more, and an ominous aura surrounded the him, his eyes darkening and becoming almost black. "I'm no lightweight, boy."

A few seconds later, Natori laughed, but the chuckles sounded forced. "So I've seen, kitty. It's good you're protecting your cute follower._" Wait-_

The dark atmosphere slowly dispelled as the youkai tried to digest what was said. Finally, the eyes that had just narrowed widened as quickly as an umbrella opened up. "You-"

"You're wrong about one thing, kitty. You might think all I want is for Natsume to be my assistant. And it's true. I had initially wanted that. Even now, some part of me wishes it could happen. But lately..." he took a deep breath and released the thoughts that had echoed for so long in his mind. "I agree with you kitty, now that even Matoba's shown interest in Natsume. I know that sounds like garbage after what I've gotten Natsume into," and here he coughed rather abashedly, "but let it be known I am eternally grateful to the boy for what he's done. I truly want to be his ally, believe it or not. But in this time I've spent with him, my thoughts regarding him have changed. He isn't suited for a world like this, full of youkai and exorcism and evil. He's much too gentle. And," he added with a humorless smile, "much too reckless."

If one had come across the scene and overheard Natori then, he would have inquired as to why Natori was speaking in third-person view directly to and about the boy beside him. But such a person never passed by, and said "boy" was staring at him with his mouth drawn into a tight line as though his lips had been glued together.

"So that's what you've been thinking, huh?" The words were quiet and low.

Natori's sad smile returned. "For a while, yes. But-"

BAM!

Natori had heard of how powerful Natsume's punches were on youkai. "It's like being hit with a boulder!" or "with those things the disgusting humans use to flatten our homes!" were among the complaints.

He hadn't paid much thought to it then, but now he could empathize with those youkai. His glasses flew off his face from the force of the blow, skidding on the concret. But he cared little about that ersatz pair; he could get another one later. All that registered in his mind was _Natsume punched me. Well, not really Natsume, but-_

"Hmph." Nyanko-sensei was rubbing his-Natsume's-fist approvingly. "I knew his wimpy punches were strong on youkai, but I suppose they're not too wimpy on humans either. Or maybe my power is channeling through, hm." He trained his eyes on the exorcist.

Natori had only seen true anger on Natsume's face a few times besides then. It rendered him still, stunned, and awaiting what the being who posed as Natsume had in store for him.

"How dare you touch the master, you fat pig?" Urihime shrieked indignantly, lunging forward. Nyanko-sensei only paid her a moment's notice before waving his hand dismissively (sending her almost reeling) and fixing his eyes once again on Natori.

"_Aho!_ Why are you telling _me _this? Even if I look just like this..." He groaned. "ThisIf is why I hate you exorcists and your stupid, sneaky ways! If that's what you really think of him, _tell _him! Well, not that I really care, but you're wasting your time on a middle-aged man telling me this when you could be saying who they're actually meant for! Idiot, useless Natori! Go and say all that to-"

"Natsume! Where are you going? You'll be late!" Natori and Nyanko-sensei both jumped at the distant voice calling out to the (now apparently approaching) subject of conversation.

"Sorry, Nishimura! I'll catch up, don't worry! Just go on without me, okay?"

"Speak of the angel," Natori murmured thickly, "and he will appear."

Nyanko-sensei shot him a withering glare mixed with dismay, but he didn't say anything as a doppelganger of his current form came running to them.

Natsume was panting, though that didn't weaken the glare directed towards his look-a-like. "Sensei! Don't just take on my form and wander all over town! You'll make others worry! Do you know how many people I've met who have said they thought I was skipping school because they saw me here?"

"They weren't the only ones who did," Nyanko-sensei muttered carelessly, eyes flitting toward Natori and looking more feline than anything at the moment.

Natsume followed his gaze and seemed to notice the exorcist for the first time. "Natori-san!" he gasped.

"Well, hello again," chimed Natori, smiling brightly and causing the air to sparkle as usual. As soon as he moved his mouth, however, pain flashed across his cheek and it must have shown.

"You're hurt! What happened?" Natsume was immediately as his side and digging into his backpack, anger forgotten for the moment.

"Ah, well, an acquaintance of mine and I were having a debate and he made me come across to his point of view. But it wasn't a youkai this time. Not really," Natori replied, glancing at Nyanko-sensei, who merely stuck out his tongue in defiance.

Natsume paused in his search for whatever it was in his backpack, and turned to look at Natori, biting his lip all the while. The soft gaze rendered the older man at a loss for words. For once. Those genuine golden eyes were the same ones that had seen youaki and suffered at their and exorcists' hands. And yet...

Suddenly something cool was pressed against his injury, soothing the sting. Natori started, but soon succumbed to the feeling. Natsume had brought out a handkerchief and poured cool water on it before putting it to Natori's cheek.

"Do you remember what you told me once, Natori-san?"

At the sound of his name, Natori opened his eyes (when did he even close them?) and raised an eyebrow. A taciturn "hm?"

"There are a lot of things, I've told you Natsume, some I am more proud of than others. I'm afraid you're going to have to be a bit more specific."

"Well..." Natsume shifted a bit, doing his best to keep the wet cloth on Natori's face, "We see a similiar world, right?"

Natori noted the use of "a similar" instead of "the same" and gave a slight nod of his head.

"We're very connected, you also said. So I can tell you're lying, Natori-san. I don't want you to make you say anything you don't want to, but...'if you ever get tired of lying, you can come to me.'"

The exorcist's eyes widened. This was certainly new.

Natsume saw the change in expression and stammered. "U-unless you don't want that, it's fine. I-how did you say that so _confidently_? Is it an actor thing? I just thought-"

He was cut off as a hand found itself on on his head, ruffling the blond locks. Looking up through his bangs, he was surprised to find Natori smiling with no impression of sparkling, no excess. Just a simple smile.

"Thank you. But you should hurry. You're going to be late for school."

Natsume also seemed to realize this just now and jumped up, letting the handkerchief fall into Natori's lap. "Ah, that's right! I can't be late! Then, see you, Natori-san! Hurry, sensei!" With those words, Natsume was off, scampering in the direction of his school.

Nyanko-sensei was back in his maneki-neko form already. He took one last look at Natori before letting out a "hmph" and lumbering behind the boy.

Natori raised his hand as a parting salute. Then he reached for his glasses and hat. Putting them back on (despite the largely noticeable crack on the lenses), he stood up and brushed himself off. The handkerchief was now in his hand as he began to walk in the opposite direction of his departed acquaintances. The youkai behind him glided silently behind, knowing not to bother him where they knew a lot was on his mind at the moment.

What was that English phrase for secret again? Ah, yes. Sub rosa. Under the rose. He thought back to the red roses he had brought to Natsume's house and almost smiled. Those damned flowers were fitting in many ways. He probably had the same number of secrets as there were roses in that bouquet, maybe even more. Perhaps Natsume did as well; there was definitely something he wasn't telling Natori.

_But then again, _Natori thought as he walked, _there are things I'm not telling him either. Such is the nature of our similarity. _

As if to back up that thought, he felt a sudden shock of pain on his left leg, though that didn't stop him from walking. The lizard must have tried to slither there for the umpteenth time to no avail.

Yes. This was just one among countless secrets he had/ And he would do his best to keep them all under the bright red rose that was his still-beating heart.


End file.
